FishProfiles.com Message Forums

	Low-light plants
fishnewbie Big Fish Posts: 349 Kudos: 619 Votes: 319 Registered: 01-Apr-2004	I only have one 40 watt strip light on my 90 gallon tank. What plants would be able to survive in this low light? I probably will be upgrading this a little though.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
greenmonkey51 Fish Master Posts: 1571 Kudos: 1692 Votes: 5 Registered: 28-Jan-2004	wouldn't try any until you have the new lighting but. maybe some java fern (although may not have enough light)
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
DaMossMan Fish Guru Piranha Bait Posts: 2511 Kudos: 2117 Votes: 359 Registered: 16-Nov-2003	The java would slowly turn brown then die off in that light. I'd say make a custom top that holds 4 light tubes, or make a top that will hold compact flourescent bulbs. Tubes maybe your best bet for a large tank.. Or buy 2 double strip lights. Good luck ! The Amazon Nut...
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
joe fishy Fish Addict Posts: 605 Kudos: 1355 Votes: 65 Registered: 21-Apr-2003	Try Java moss; it seems to live in near darkness! Check out the LFS and online sites, so that when you do upgrade the lights, you can get some plants right away, and avoid a rash of algae. Once you upgrade, make sure to throw in some fast growers, like hygro, hornwort, anacharis, or watersprite. Good growing to you!
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
Big E Fish Addict Posts: 606 Kudos: 382 Votes: 0 Registered: 20-Feb-2001	Java fern will do fine in that light as a floating plant...as will water sprite. Wattage is much less of an issue when the plant is only 1 or 2 inches beneath the source. Eric
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
sirbooks Moderator Sociopath Posts: 3875 Kudos: 5164 Votes: 932 Registered: 26-Jul-2004	Don't crypts survive in really low light conditions? I was considering getting some for my low-light tank, but I can't now what with the move... And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
superlion Mega Fish Posts: 1246 Kudos: 673 Votes: 339 Registered: 27-Sep-2003	Java fern should be fine. Mine grows in a bowl in my room with no added lighting and I even keep the blinds closed all the time so it hardly gets any light. And it's very happy. Java moss also seems to like really low light although it can become a bit of a weed if you let it. ><>
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
poisonwaffle Mega Fish Posts: 1397 Kudos: 591 Registered: 11-Feb-2003	Hornwort would do just fine in that amount of light. I've even gotten hornwort to grow at a decent rate with the only light in the tank being 1.5 WPG of BLACKLIGHT It grows fine without tank lighting also, as long as there is some light coming into the tank
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
guppy01 Big Fish Posts: 334 Kudos: 387 Votes: 3 Registered: 06-Sep-2003	Beware, if the hornwort does not do well in those low-light conditions it will make a huge mess! Everytime I move my hornwort to another tank or bowl it always loses its 'needles'. Sometimes though, it does grows back. IMO, Java fern is the only one with any hope for your tank.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44
poisonwaffle Mega Fish Posts: 1397 Kudos: 591 Registered: 11-Feb-2003	That depends on what species of hornwort you have. There are 2 species of hornwort, one of them falls apart really easily and is brittle, the other is more rugged and durable. I have the kind that's more rugged and durable and doesn't fall apart. I'm going to see if I can get some of the other species for my tanks from a friend sometime
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:44


	Jump to:

The views expressed on this page are the implied opinions of their respective authors.
Under no circumstances do the comments on this page represent the opinions of the staff of FishProfiles.com.

FishProfiles.com Forums, version 11.0
Mazeguy Smilies